Cessna U206F accident near Islesboro, Maine, June 15, 2009
On June 15, 2009 at about 3:45 pm local time, a Cessna U206F, registered N33243, was substantially damaged in an accident during initial climb near Islesboro, Maine (Islesboro Airport). It was flown under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A loss of engine power due to fuel contamination.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 15, 2009 · about 3:45 pm local time
- Place
- Islesboro, Maine · Islesboro Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna U206F · all U206Fs on the register
- Registration
- N33243 · no longer on the register · serial U20602688
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During preflight, the pilot sumped the fuel tanks and noticed water in the samples. He continued to sump the tanks until the fuel samples were absent of water. The accident flight was the fourth flight of the day and the airplane accrued 50 minutes of flight time during the 3 previous flights. On the accident flight, engine start, taxi, and takeoff were "normal" until 200 to 300 feet above the ground when "the power started slowly coming off". The pilot rejected an open field to his left for landing due to lack of altitude/glide distance, and chose to land straight ahead in heavily wooded terrain, which resulted in substantial damage to the airplane. After recovery of the airplane, the engine started immediately using the airplane’s battery power, and ran continuously utilizing the airplane’s own fuel system. Fuel drained from the right header tank contained water and a mass that resembled a snail (land mollusk). The mass subsequently dissolved in the sample jar, but the remains were suspended in the water at the bottom of the jar. Fuel sample test results revealed that the fuel sample contained "plasticizers," which are present in many greases, and the bottom of the sample jar contained droplets of water, and a "black particulate" matter that contained both the plasticizers and methyl cellulose, which is a material commonly used in filters.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Fuel contamination during initial climb defining event
- Off-field or emergency landing during emergency descent
- Controlled flight into terrain or object (CFIT) during emergency descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Power plant › (general) › Failure
- cause Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid condition
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine sea; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,620 hours in all; 350 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,887 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 16, 2009; 51 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cont Motor IO 520 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Waters Aero Marine INC
The flight
- Departed from: 57B Islesboro ME at 3:44 pm
- Destination: RKD Rockland ME
- Runway 19, 2,400 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 110° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 1,600 ft
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.14 inHg
- Observation at 3:53 pm from RCK, 17 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.